Pet owners occasionally wish to take their pets for a vehicle ride and secure their pet to the vehicles' seat belt device for safety reasons. Currently available retractable leashes that have seat belt connectors (also referred to herein as “tongues” or “male connectors”) are not reliably safe because the connectors attached to those products are not attached firmly to the leash. Instead, the connectors typically are attached by fabric that makes the dog carry the weight of the leash. These designs do not properly prevent the pet from tripping over the leash while the leash is secured in a vehicle seat belt device. Also, the buttons or mechanisms for locking the retractable leash are exposed (usually on top of the retractable leash) and can be easy triggered, for example, by the feet of the dog, releasing the lock button. Moreover, because the connector hangs loosely away from the main body of the leash when the latch is not in use, it can swing and cause damage to persons, pets, or other objects. Similarly, the connector itself can be damaged because it is exposed.